Reckless (#3), Unforgettable (#4), Lucky (#5), Tempted (#6) by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Yep, so... these books are just so easy to read that I've pretty much read one each day. They're just so simple! And catty! And although some of the romantic encounters stuff is pretty predictable, the more interesting plot-related things are still coming as surprises. It's enough to keep me reading! I think these books sort of became my break from reading things that require more thought. Very simple, comparatively.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
I have to say, this book got me. I did not see the twists coming. The first one wasn't too surprising; you could kind of infer it from earlier hints and suggestions that the narrator couldn't figure out because of his difficulty with understanding others' emotions. But the second one? The resolution of who killed the dog? WHOA! Didn't see that coming!! So well done. The whole journey to London was intriguing as well, and the ending was perfectly done: it didn't answer every question, and I had to wonder what would become of the characters. Very good!
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Friday, October 17, 2014
October 12 - 18
The It Girl (#1) & Notorious (#2) by Cecily Von Ziegesar
For whatever reason, this gossip girl spinoff series popped into my head recently and I decided to re-read it. Is a silly, catty series with lots of drinking, partying, and casual sex... Not my usual. I powered through the first two books though, them both being relatively short, and I'm working on the third one. However, I'm getting kind of sick of the plot, so it probably won't last very long.
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
So, I have to read this from my American novel class, and I never realized that it was a novel and not a speech or manifesto kind of thing. I had no idea what to expect, and it's going pretty well. It is actually pretty interesting and funny, and I'm generally enjoying reading it. I'm already loving the characters, and hoping to see a happy ending, although I feel like that's not how it will go. I'm not very far in yet, so I guess we'll have to wait and see.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
I saw this book in my advisors office on her big shelf of young adult novels. I've seen it before, and been intrigued by the name even though I had no idea what it was about. I seem to have been on a kick of reading books that I have no idea what they are about lately. Anyway, I started this one, and I really love it. It's written from the perspective of a boy with autism, and it's definitively an interesting read. The language is straightforward in an incredibly refreshing way, and the character is cleverly developed to for the story.
For whatever reason, this gossip girl spinoff series popped into my head recently and I decided to re-read it. Is a silly, catty series with lots of drinking, partying, and casual sex... Not my usual. I powered through the first two books though, them both being relatively short, and I'm working on the third one. However, I'm getting kind of sick of the plot, so it probably won't last very long.
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
So, I have to read this from my American novel class, and I never realized that it was a novel and not a speech or manifesto kind of thing. I had no idea what to expect, and it's going pretty well. It is actually pretty interesting and funny, and I'm generally enjoying reading it. I'm already loving the characters, and hoping to see a happy ending, although I feel like that's not how it will go. I'm not very far in yet, so I guess we'll have to wait and see.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
I saw this book in my advisors office on her big shelf of young adult novels. I've seen it before, and been intrigued by the name even though I had no idea what it was about. I seem to have been on a kick of reading books that I have no idea what they are about lately. Anyway, I started this one, and I really love it. It's written from the perspective of a boy with autism, and it's definitively an interesting read. The language is straightforward in an incredibly refreshing way, and the character is cleverly developed to for the story.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
October 5 - 11
The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne
This was a book I read for my early American novel class. It was pretty interesting to read something by Hawthorne that wasn't The Scarlet Letter because now I have a better sense of his style. This story features a well-to-do Bostonian poet in 1835 who bands together with some idealists who try to start a Utopian-like farm together. The kind of thing where everyone shares the work and lives off the land, that sort of idea. The romance implied in the title is distantly narrated by the author. A stunning and proud woman nicknamed Zenobia, a determined philanthropist with a focus on rehabilitating criminals, and a wispy young girl who appears without explanation are the key players in the romance. There's spying, sympathy, intrigue, myths, hallucinations, and even a dramatic suicide (!!) with the final line of the novel revealing the biggest secret of all.
(But not really, if you pay attention.)
Bullied: What every parent, teacher, and kid needs to know about ending the cycle of fear by Carrie Goldman
I stumbled by this book when I was idly searching my online e-book library to see what I might read next (since the fourth Temeraire novel is refusing to download properly, for whatever reason). I was intrigued by my educator side, and the synopsis was more interesting than I would usually expect from something about bullying anyway. I've heard so much about it that you'd think I'd be sick to death (terrible, terrible pun...) of it by now. BUT, like I said, the format is different from what bullying pamphlets and lectures I've usually encountered usually take. There are anecdotes! Ones that aren't horribly depressing! It's even funny sometimes, and often hopeful! It also covers an impressive scope of the "who" part of bullying: the usual targets of LGBTQ and students with disabilities, but Goldman also acknowledges that some kids just get flak for being in the wrong place at the wrong time (or wearing the wrong shoes at the wrong time, or whatever). I'm about a third of the way through, and although I don't feel like I've learned any particular strategies as an educator, I do feel like I've grown a bit in how to think about it and approach it. There's a lot of good stuff in here for parents, as well, so I've got some ideas on that part of my future now as well.
This was a book I read for my early American novel class. It was pretty interesting to read something by Hawthorne that wasn't The Scarlet Letter because now I have a better sense of his style. This story features a well-to-do Bostonian poet in 1835 who bands together with some idealists who try to start a Utopian-like farm together. The kind of thing where everyone shares the work and lives off the land, that sort of idea. The romance implied in the title is distantly narrated by the author. A stunning and proud woman nicknamed Zenobia, a determined philanthropist with a focus on rehabilitating criminals, and a wispy young girl who appears without explanation are the key players in the romance. There's spying, sympathy, intrigue, myths, hallucinations, and even a dramatic suicide (!!) with the final line of the novel revealing the biggest secret of all.
(But not really, if you pay attention.)
Bullied: What every parent, teacher, and kid needs to know about ending the cycle of fear by Carrie Goldman
I stumbled by this book when I was idly searching my online e-book library to see what I might read next (since the fourth Temeraire novel is refusing to download properly, for whatever reason). I was intrigued by my educator side, and the synopsis was more interesting than I would usually expect from something about bullying anyway. I've heard so much about it that you'd think I'd be sick to death (terrible, terrible pun...) of it by now. BUT, like I said, the format is different from what bullying pamphlets and lectures I've usually encountered usually take. There are anecdotes! Ones that aren't horribly depressing! It's even funny sometimes, and often hopeful! It also covers an impressive scope of the "who" part of bullying: the usual targets of LGBTQ and students with disabilities, but Goldman also acknowledges that some kids just get flak for being in the wrong place at the wrong time (or wearing the wrong shoes at the wrong time, or whatever). I'm about a third of the way through, and although I don't feel like I've learned any particular strategies as an educator, I do feel like I've grown a bit in how to think about it and approach it. There's a lot of good stuff in here for parents, as well, so I've got some ideas on that part of my future now as well.
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